Miami football looks to even up conference play against Georgia Tech

With a win over Virginia last week, Miami football will look to move above .500 on the season with a win over Georgia Tech.

While it hasn’t been the season Miami expected, the Hurricanes are still in place to make a run at the ACC Championship with the conference looking the weakest it has in years. That run starts with a win over Georgia Tech, a team that has struggled against ACC competition and inter-conference opponents alike.

Of all people, this game might mean the most to Miami head coach Manny Diaz. In his first year with the program, Diaz and his squad were subjected to a pair of excruciating losses in back to back weeks against Florida (6-1) and North Carolina (3-3) to start the season. Since then, the Canes have gone 3-1 with their latest victory coming against No. 20 Virginia.

Saturday’s game, as insignificant as it may seem against such a lesser opponent, will be very telling as it pertains to the future direction of this team. Miami has been pretty inconsistent this season, so a big win over Georgia Tech will go a long way in convincing their fans that this team is committed to finishing out the season strong.

Here’s how to watch it go down this weekend.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 19
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Miami, Fla.
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium
TV: ACC Network
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

Teams have fared quite well when running the ball against Georgia Tech, so it would be wise for Miami to do the same in a game that could get out of hand early. However, this won’t be easy as the Canes have been much more successful when working the ball through the air as opposed to on the ground this season.

At the end of the day, the yards will be there for the taking on the ground. However, the Canes could end up working against themselves if they opt to remain committed to the passing game. Nevertheless, with an aggressive defense going against a bland Georgia Tech offense, it might not matter what Miami chooses to do when all is said and done.

Betting Odds

Odds provided by Bovada

Point Spread: Miami -18
Over/Under: 45.5

Prediction

A win over an ACC opponent is there for the taking for Miami, a win that would push them to 4-3 on the season with a conference record of 2-2. Playing at home helps as well, providing the potential for a huge overall outing from the Canes. Look for Miami to win this one handily regardless of how they choose to play it.

Final Score: Georgia Tech 13, Miami 38